Au Pied de Cochon’s New Shack Is Now Open All Summer And Beyond

ST-BENOÎT-DE-MIRABEL — Great news for those who missed out on the opening season of the latest restaurant from the Au Pied de Cochon group, La Cabane d’à Côté: the restaurant has added a summer-fall dining season, so it’s effectively open all the time for now. The restaurant opened up for the maple season in February as a sort-of counterpart to the very popular Pied de Cochon sugar shack (it offers more traditional takes on Québécois cuisine, relative to the twists at the main sugar shack). It was a tough table to score — its first season only accepted groups of four or more, and filled up quickly, perhaps due to its limited run from February to mid-May.

Now, it’s open Wednesday to Sunday right through to fall — there’s ample availability for anybody that missed out, and groups of less than four now appear to be accepted, too, although the menu is still a set $56 option only. The menu from chef-owner Vincent Dion Lavallée will shuffle, and is billed as “farmhouse fare” featuring seasonal vegetables and grilled meat, and an outdoor dining option. This “season” is set to finish in early November, so it looks like the restaurant may take a winter break instead of running all year.

MILE END — Changes afoot at Laurier Avenue Turkish spot Barbounya — after five years as chef-owner, Fisun Ercan (see also: Verdun’s Restaurant Su) announced via Facebook that she has left the restaurant to focus on Su and her new farm. Fear not for Barbounya’s quality after she left: Ercan noted that she left her recipes to the team there.

HUDSON — Hudson’s revamped, under-new-ownership Willow Inn now has lodgings on site — the historic waterfront Inn opened up ten guest rooms in recent days to accompany the already-open British leaning restaurant.

DOWNTOWN — Ultra-cheap Pakistani go-to Student Tasty Biryani is getting bigger — Eater has received reports that it’s taking over a former Harvey’s location on Peel Street. It’s set to be a second location, beyond the Lincoln Street original near Concordia University.

MILE END — Montreal is light on Malaysian food, so here’s a solid option: chef Nantha Kumar, known for pop-ups all over the place, will be staking out Pop Montreal’s Marché des Possibles and highlighting other Malaysian chefs from Montreal. Unlike many of Kumar’s one-day-only offerings, this one will be available from July 13 to 15.

OLD MONTREAL — It’s Veuve Clicquot’s 200th anniversary, and the French status-symbol champagne company is on a publicity binge for it. After starting a weekly pop-up bar last week, now it’s Yelloweek, and the company is doing a range of promos including by-the-glass specials and dinner pairings at a fairly diverse set of places, from clubby bar Joverse to pub Burgundy Lion, to L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. Details online.

• Au Pied de Cochon’s ‘Shack Next Door’ Is Up and Running [EMTL]
• Look At Martin Picard’s Oh-So-Rustic Latest, La Cabane d’à Côté [EMTL]
• Hudson’s Willow Inn Reopens With a Warm British Feel [EMTL]